Have you had any humorous or unpredictable moments whilst performing in a concert? 

I’ve broken strings… blackouts have happened mid-performance and we’ve pushed through in the dark without stopping… dogs have howled along with the last note… a colleague’s chair once collapsed… anything can happen. I’m an iPad abolitionist and I’ve watched as a multitude of malfunctions wreak havoc on my colleagues who use them over the years — page turning pedals begin operating someone else’s music, for example, or skipping two pages at a time. It might not be humorous for them though… and perhaps by now iPad blunders are so common they don’t fall under the description of “unpredictable”!

​

Who are your favourite composers for violin? 

At the moment Bartok and Reger. Neither of them played the violin but wrote huge amounts of music for it, somehow intuitively both developing a unique violinistic style.

 

Who has been a major influence in shaping your musical journey as a performer?

Every colleague and every composer is an influence. In recent years I’ve been most inspired by artists who are most individual and unique — Shunske Sato, Olli Mustonen, Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Isabelle Faust and Teodor Currentzis. I might not love absolutely everything they do but they are still my favourites. Richard Tognetti was very influential in how I interpret Beethoven and Mozart. I am also really inspired by people like Ingolf Turban, Olli Mustonen, Marc-Andre Hamelin and Katherine Dowling who dedicate their lives to performing and recording music by composers who are underperformed. Katherine and Olli are absolutely my favourite pianists.

​

You perform as a soloist and chamber musician- how does your ensemble experience contrast with your solo work?

It’s always better to play with friends. But unaccompanied performances also have a special feeling.

 

Do you have any particular warm up routines before a performance?

I tend to practise things very slowly, or to make things uncomfortable somehow, so that the performance feels easier. It’s also good to play through the bits that are most enjoyable. 

 

Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of your professional music career?

I play chess and try to play tennis from time to time!

​

We are very much looking forward to hearing your solo performance at BAMF ‘25 – how did you choose your program?

It’s all my favourite things! 

​​​

​

​

For further info about Kristian Winther visit: https://www.emblemartists.com/roster/kristian-winther

​​​​

Interview conducted by Catherine Barnett (BAMF Committee) January 2025